Film cartridge



y F efmqaa 2,423,663

FILM CARTRIDGE Filed sept, '22, 1944 i IN VEN TOR. BRUNO C. ROEHRL ATTORNEYS cover.

Patented July 8, 11947 p Bruno It'o'ehri, Binghamton; assignor to 'GeneraljAniline'ae Gorporation; New York;

N;'Y; "orporationbf Delaware v I cAppiicationS'eptember 2,2', 1944; sria1 No. 555,212

' This invention pertains to'li ght-ti cartridges of a; type having-a'cjylindrical teno body at either end of which'is attached ployed 1 in camera of that siz These cartridges are well imoiivniinLth'e' art and are usually employed, for roll; film oi narrow I widths such asthe well-known, v35'v m;-..n1m em v These cartridges" claims. ('01. some reference to which the invention is to be de @scribed: I r I 1 Fig; l'is an isometric view of a film cartridge,

certain parts being broken away'thereby to s ow are generally used with;iilrr1 for hichithere'is no i protecting ;orbacking strip such.- as the usual .paperfst'rip: and; therefore, 'must be. light tight. Theyfllmis purchased; loaded,gand 'sealedin the cartridge-or is purchasedinqbulk cut, and: then loaded by the photographerin a dark room: or

with the assistance of one-fofthe available dayli'sht'lo' dinemechanisms.-

Among 'otherfi'objects of the invention is the development of'f'acartridge which shall be relatively sim'plein its design, 'easilyand cheaply constructed, and of such design asito obviate clamping orother exercise of unnecessary force on thefllm which tends to prevent vitseasy with drawal from the cartridge; or to hinder rewinding after exposure. ,It' is also an object of the invention toprovidea construction which shall be light tight, yet onewhich wi1l; no't 'requireend caps of special shapeor'which require cut-out or recessed'mortions in them for,avoiding" the film-slot. Itis, also an objector the invention to provide simple end caps having a, 00 1 0 non-interrupted-"rim for engagement. with the shell of'thecartridger andto-i retain those caps in position on theshell by frictional engagement between the metal'part's, yet to accomplish that desired result without compressing the'*par'tof' the cartridge at flthe slot through which the film is drawn :and without preventing easy movement of the filmthrough the slot. .It is also an ob ject of the invention to provide a constructionas above described in which there is no possibility of light entering at the ends of the slot" or at N that part of theshell'wherethe caps engage over the divided or split metal at'the slot. v

Another object of'the invention is evident'in-a modification in which the end caps are retained in place without 3 developing a'high degree of'fric- 'tion'and without compressing the slot members against the film, but by use of the well-known bayonet joint. a Thislatter connecting'means is made possible by thefact that applicantispartic ularconstruction-"makes itunnecssary to. notch the caps, and they are, therefore, rotatable on the shell permitting the use ofthat particular type of joint.

New referringtothe figures offdrawin'g in hich details of two cartridges are shown and the-construction more clearly.

, Fig. 2 isasect'ion through the cartridge illus-' trated in Fig. 1, showingthe film spool and film in place.

Eig. 3115 a view similar to'Fi g. 1, but showing a "modification employing bayonet connections for the end cap sl I -.Fig'. 4 is a detail of an end cap for the cartridge Now referring to Figs. land 2, the cartridg comprises a, shell or body it! preferably but not necessarily made of pressed steel or other metal; and end caps 'H which may beo'f similar mate+ rial. The cartridge is adapted to be producedof other than metallic materials, for example, plas} tic, either molded or fabricated by other meth ods. The film' of the mm; or similar type hailt ing' the usual perforations, and indicated by n umerfal I2, is wound on a spool l 3 havingfa core and end flanges. Thespo'ol is notinew'a'nd; theree fore; need not be 'describedinydetailg' It is sufli cient to say that it is ofa" size freely'rot atablei within the space'provided by'the "shell mane end caps H. It has the usualext'ension and key slot adapted to be engaged by approprlatepaits within the'cainera andbymeans of whichthe fllm'may belrewound-after exposure; I V

The shell I0 is; split at one side'and has a'film slot member which comprises theflips Mfa'hdii extending moreor less tangentially 'from the cyis'not absolutely necessary, it tends'to' strengthen the construction; makejsdt easier to engageithe caps at the ends of theg shell and also ail'ordsjan' outside surface whichis oi uniform diameter, therefore; making it easier to handlethe cartridge during loading in the camera, or at other times.

The slot is provided at either side with plush or'other soft compressible materialbetween which the film is withdrawn and by means of which the "interior of the cartridge is maintained absolutely ure.

light tight. This plush material is shown at l1 and I8 and extends along the inner surfaces of the lips I4 and I5 and then withinthe shell for a short distance. In certain instances it may be desirable to carry the plush or other material clear around the insideof the shell, thereby to provide protection for the film itself. This plush material extends clear to the ends of the lips l4 and I5 which are of substantially the same length as the shell itself.

The width of the film is such that the part of the slot within which it slides is not as long as' the shell. At a point beyond the edges of the film, the lips 14 and I5 are oifset as at l5 and End caps .I I have rims 2| which engageover jections 32 align with the entering parts of the slots 29 whereupon '.a twist of the cap member will draw it up tightly on the shell and will seal the, end of the slot as in the first instance, Fig

l, but will also make an effective light seal due to the fact that the cap will be forced tightly against the end of the necked portion 28.

l The principles of the invention are applicable to film cartridges such as are manufactured on a production basis and which are sold with film loaded therein, and which are not intended primarily for repeated use as a light-tight container for film tobe used in cameras adapted to take film which is not provided with a backing strip. They are equally applicable to cartridges which are sold with the intent that they are to be repeatedly loaded withfilm and which have aninthe cooperating-parts l6 of theshell. To allow use of a full or uninterrupted rim on eachend.

cap, the onset parts I!) and 20 of the lips are notched or cut back as at 22 so as .toallow these end caps to be pushed firmly into place and also to avoid having to adjust the cap to any particular relative position before applyin it to the shell. It is to be borne in mind that these cartridges are loaded and the caps put in place in total darkness in many instances, therefore, ease of manipulation and certainty that the parts are assembled in absolute light-tight relationship is a decided a.dvan tage. The plush or other lightsealing material extends outwardly into the notch thessame way, although that is preferable.

definite period of usefulness.

Modifications may include variations in shape in accordance with the requirements of different cameras. size'shall be accommodated by the'cartridge although mm. film is atpresent most commonly sold in such a container. It is not'essential that both ends of the container be formed in precisely In certain instances, it may be advantageous to conplication of the end caps, a slit may be made in the plush just deep enough to facilitate assembly.

Now referring to Figs. 3 and 4, a'similar but modified construction is evident. In the form 0! the invention'described with respect toFigs. 1

and 2,, the end;caps are retained in position due' to the fact, that they are a relatively tight fit over the ends of the shell. The frictional resistance set up is enough to retain those caps, but due to the particular construction .of the slot members, there is no possibility of any adverse effect on the movement of the film either in drawing it out of the cartridge or in rewinding it. In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the shell 23 may have an inherent tendency to open up, but

preferably does not have that tendency. The shell or body should be so formed when completed that it tends to compress the felt or other lighttight material and to force the offset portions 24 and 25 of the lips 26 and 21 into that position which they occupy when the entire cartridge is assembled. To simplify the illustration, the plush sealing strips are not shown in this fig- Th'ey are to be of similar type to those in Fig.1.

The shell is necked dliwn at 28 and has a plurality of bayonet-typefslbts 29. As herein contemplated, three such slots are to be used, howstruct the cartridge casing with one-end closed. thereby making it necessary to provide a cap or cover for the other end only. The cap may attach to'one end of the shell by either-means herein described, and the opposite cap;may be differently fixed in place.

While-two embodiments of the invention hav been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This application is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise detail described but is intended to cover all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention andthe scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. A roll film cartridge comprising a shell and end caps, said shell being formed withspaced lips' between which is a film slot, light-sealing means in said slot, the lips and sealing means being of greater length than the width of film to be drawn through the slot and extending closer to the ends of the shell than the innermost extent of the end caps when in place on the shell, andnotches cut in theends of the lips and adjacent the. shell to allowassembly of the shell and end caps. v

2. A roll film cartridge comprising a shell and end caps-said end caps having non-interrupted rims, said shell having spaced lips to form a film slot, and means at either end of said slot for.

preventing compression of the slot beyond a predetermined distance including inwardly offset lip ends, light-sealing material at the inner surfaces of both the lips and the oifset ends, and notches at the ends of the lips and adjacent the shell for allowing passage of the end cap rims as the caps are assembled on the shell. i

3. A rollfilm cartridge comprising a shell and end caps, said end caps havingnon-interrupted rims, said shell being formed as a cylinder with a slot extending substantially tangential with respect to thecylinclrical portion ofthe shell and comprising lipsbetween which a fi1m may be withdrawn, each end of the shell .beingnecked down to a smaller diameter for the reception of rims of the end caps, each of the projecting lip members being offset at its endportion and at a position beyond the edges of the. film which is It is contemplated that film of any:

to be, drawn through the said slot, and a notch at. ither end of the projecting lips extending to the cylindrical portion of the shell and inwardly over a distance at least equal to the length of the cap rims, thereby to allow assembly of the end caps. t

4. A roll film cartridge comprising a shell and end caps, said end caps having non-interrupted rims, said shell being formed with spaced lips between which is a film slot, light-sealing means in said slot, and means at either end of said slot for preventing compression oi. the lips beyond a predetermined distance thereby to prevent binding of thefilm as it passes through the slot, a notch at either end of the lips, adjacent the shell, and of a depth sufficient to allow assembly of .the end caps in such a manner that they may be rotated on the ends of the shell, and bayonettype connections for retaining the caps on the shell.

5. A roll lmirtridge comprising a shell and end caps having substantially continuous rim, said shell being cylindrical in form and having a tangentially extending film slot formed from projecting lips bent outwardly from the cylindrical shell, the ends of the shell being necked down for the reception of the end caps, means for preventing compression of the film slot beyond a predetermined extent which includes offset ends of the lip members, means including notches cut in the offset ends of the lip memthe slot and extendingcloser to the ends of the shell than the innermost extent of the end cap rims when in place on the shell ends, means at l the ends of the lips to limit the space between 7. 'Aroll film cartridge as defined in claim 6- in which the shell has an'inherent tendency to open outwardly.

8. A roll film cartridge comprising a shell and end caps, lips forming a film slot projecting from said shell and being of substantially the same length as the shell, said end caps having continuous rims for engagement-over the ends of the shell, said lips having a notch at either end adjacent the shell and of a depth to allow complete assembly of the end caps by a rotating movement of the caps with respect to the shell, and cooperating bayonettype connections .on said cap rims and shell ends for retaining the caps on the shell.

BRUNO C. ROEHRL.

' file of this patent:

bers for allowing assembly of said end caps hav- 1 ing a substantially continuous rim, and bayonettype connections for retaining the end members 1 rims, said shell being formed with spaced lips forming afilm slot,- light-sealing means in said slot, the lips and sealing means being of greater length than the width of film to be drawn through UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 870,445 Livermore Nov. 5, 1907 1,686,204 Covert Oct. 2, 1928 2,153,573 Kinloch Apr. 11, 1939 2,019,672 Goodhand Nov. 5, 1935 1,353,016 Bernard Sept. 14, 1920 1,987,247 Schnitzler Jan. 8, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 703,087 Germany 1 Feb. 28, 1941 

